a Honolulu blog

This is the slogan on the website of the Honolulu Police Department. Why do I bother writing about our law enforcement services? That very question is why I bother. It is a thankless job that seems to be met more with complaints and even disdain rather than with gratitude. It occurred to me a few months back that no matter what’s going on, they’re always there. We just have a tendency to take them for granted.

They are at community events working with and for the community and with our youth. Here, at the start of the Chinese New Year parade back in February, officers work with inquiring young people in their Explorers Program.

In this program the officers give young people a chance to work side by side with them to get a taste of what it’s like to be in their line of work.

Here officers stand by to counsel and correct pedestrians crossing the street one morning in busy downtown Honolulu. Remember the story about the pedestrian fatalities? The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) was trying to be proactive by trying to keep that growing statistic to a minimum.

I got stopped and reprimanded by these two. So did my boss. The funny part was that we both gave them the same story about how the lights at this intersection work. Of course that probably only helped to irritate them. When I asked if I could take their picture, the officer said he would prefer that I did not. So, I went away and took them from a different angle. Of course once they see this they’ll watch for me now!

All kidding aside, this ongoing problem has been an endless challenge for law enforcement. HPD has had to deal with belligerent drivers and arrogant pedestrians — all of whom like to recreate traffic laws to fit their own needs. Well, I always say that fear is a good teacher. Since the growing number of traffic fatalities didn’t seem to be making much of an impact, they have now upped the fine for pedestrians who disobey the traffic signals to $100. For drivers, they will not only get fined, they will (GASP!) have their license suspended!

After providing community service duty and safety education, they take on a different and much more serious role. While walking along the street one afternoon, a police car zoomed passed with sirens blaring. A few seconds later another one went zipping up the same way. By the time the third police car was flying up the street I began to feel concerned. By the time two other, unmarked vehicles went tearing up the street I knew something was really up!

I started to walk faster; since that was the direction I was going anyway, because I had to see what on earth was creating all the excitement! When I heard the sound and caught sight of this helicopter I was hurrying up the hill and reaching for my camera! MY cemetery! Regular readers know how I feel about my cemetery. As I got closer to Oahu Cemetery I just kept thinking, “What on earth? What have we got, grave robbers?”

It didn’t take long for a stream of police cars to come back down the road at a relaxed and cruising pace. Whatever had happened was on the other side of the cemetery and as fast as it escalated, it must have been resolved. Whew! I later called KHON Channel 2 News and asked them what happened. They said, “Oh, that was a car theft. They got one of ’em.” I was thrilled to hear that news! Our family’s cars have been ripped at least four maybe five times. Young little monkeys! I have other adjectives to use but I will refrain since this is a happy thing to report!

Now, here’s where the other running bloggers get to have a chuckle. While running and trying not to get run over at busy intersections and driveways a couple of weeks ago, I tripped over some uneven sidewalk and fell. Harder than I realized. Somehow the meeting of my brow and the sidewalk made a brief but rather extreme impact!

Two officers who were about a block away, I think, saw it happen and because I was bleeding pretty badly, more than I realized, they called for an ambulance. I hardly felt any pain. I kept telling them I was fine. There was a lot of blood so, in hindsight, I guess I was a cause for concern.

After they realized I wasn’t going to bleed to death and the ambulance staff put them more at ease when they were fine with just giving me the ice pack I requested (because one of the officers suggested it) they relaxed and were able to let me take their picture. Okay, okay, so I got blood on my camera! Tsk! I think I was too much in shock to realize or admit just how bad I was. My t-shirt looked like I had a close encounter with Freddy Krueger. I can laugh now — now that my black eye is almost gone. Thank you, Officer Mitchell and Officer Nguyen for your concern and for the assistance!

In short, I have been ticketed for jay walking, reprimanded and instructed on how I should and shouldn’t cross the street, have been given speeding tickets, have had to pay fines, and I have had to endure my husband’s chastisement. But, I don’t get upset with the officers. Irritated sometimes maybe but I know it’s not always a pleasant job for them to deal with us.

Mahalo to our law enforcement officers and our law enforcement officials for trying to keep us safe. In addition, every car thief who gets busted in the act is worth a raise, a promotion, something! I know we’re not the easiest population to work with and I appreciate all the effort it takes to do so. I know you guys and gals are only trying to Protect and Serve with Aloha!